The banished Prince
by MondayWren
Summary: Avatar the last Airbender modernized.
1. Chapter 1

Zuko awoke in the hospital with a searing pain in his skull. It wasn't like the scrolls he'd read, because he remembered every horrifying moment of the Agni Kai. He reached up to feel the bandages wrapped around his left eye and something clawed into Zuko's heart, hardening his kindness into an impenetrable rock.

His Uncle was sitting beside him, his face buried in the blanket beside Zuko and snoring abnoxiously loud. He pushed away the feeling of relief when he realized that he wasn't alone and focused on how foolish he'd been. He had disrespected everyone in that room and this was the price he had to pay.

Iroh murmured a little in his sleep and blinked himself awake. He looked at Zuko who was staring sightlessly at the twisted blankets around him. "Uncle?" He said quietly, "What's going to happen now?"

Iroh put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe being away from Ozai and Azula would keep him from becoming like the fire lords before him. "We'll leave. Go to the North for now."

Zuko nodded slowly. He was too afraid to ask about the burns. "Will you be there with me?" He asked so quiet that Iroh could barely hear him.

"I will always be there, Prince Zuko." He added so that the banished Prince would never forget where he came from.


	2. Chapter 2

**Three years later**

Zuko stared out the window of his Uncle's old beat up minivan. Iroh was smiling so big that you could hardly see his eyes. "My own tea shop!" He said happily. "And in Omashu! I know several nice men and women who would gladly play Pai Sho with me." He looked over at Zuko who was glaring at the trees outside. "You'll like your new school too, Prince Zuko. Omashu is the bending capital of the world."

Zuko scoffed, "No it's not."

"Well it should be. The people there are very talented."

Zuko snorted but said nothing more as they parked beside the tea shop that would also serve as their home. There were earth bending kids outside playing a game of Earthquake."Yeah I'm sure I'll fit in just find with a group of EARTH BENDERS!" He yelled and slammed the door. The kids turned and looked at him warily. Zuko scowled at the group and stomped into the tea shop. "I don't even like tea!" He yelled.

Iroh stepped out of the car and turned to the kids. "I'm sure he'll calm down soon."

The principal looked at Zuko and avoided looking at the left side of his face. "We're so glad that you're joining our student body this year, Zuko, even if it may be a little late in the year. I can't say we've ever had a fire bender at this school before, but we're happy to change that."

Zuko's scowl never dropped. "All I need to know is where my first class is." He said sharply.

The principal was taken aback. "Of course." She sputtered. "Just down that hall and take a right."

Zuko snorted and stomped angrily down the hall. The principal watched him leave. "What an odd kid." She said shaking her head and left in the opposite direction.

Zuko slammed open the door to his first class still seething at the annoying principal. "Zuko?" The teacher asked.

"Who else would I be?"

"You can sit over there by Aang and Katara."

He dropped his books noisily on his desk and fell into his seat with a thump, Aang was looking at him like he was going to murder a puppy turtle or something. He was a small bald kid with a blue arrow tattoo centered on his head and down his hands. He was an Airbender. Zuko knew that most of them were killed off a hundred years ago. The girl was too busy studying a waterbending scroll to notice Zuko.

The boy in front of Katara turned around abruptly and pointed excitedly to something in the textbook. Zuko groaned and glared at the boy.

"That's Sokka." Aang said. "He's Katara's brother."

"I don't care." Zuko growled. "Just shut up and leave me alone!"

Aang's face dropped, "Just thought you should know." He exchanged a look with Katara who finally realized something was going on around her.

"Don't talk to Aang like that." Katara snapped. "He was only trying to help you out."

"I didn't ask for any help, did I?" Zuko growled at Katara.

"Hey! You don't talk to my sister like that without going through me first." Sokka said and put a hand threateningly on his pathetic boomerang.

Zuko held out his hand, palm up, and fire burst out of his hand, flickering violently between his fingers.

"Zuko!" The teacher said. "We encourage bending outside of school! Not inside. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

Zuko scoffed and glared at Katara who was looking at him smugly. It took everything in him to not set Aang's scroll on fire.

Lunch wasn't any better. Who was he going to sit with? Great. He was going to be that one outcast kid who sat by himself in the corner of the lunchroom.

"Hey Zuko." Aang called. "I think we might've gotten off on the wrong foot earlier today. I'm Aang, the Avatar."

Zuko scowled. Just another person to show him up in firebending, just like Azula. He hurled fire at the kid.

"Zuko." The principal pulled him aside. "We do not tolerate bending here. Especially after you were told specifically not to bend. We have to call your father."

"My Uncle." Zuko corrected.

"Your Uncle. You bend one more time and you're suspended."

Aang was watching the scene looking a little guilty, but the others were just glaring at him and smirking a little. Zuko growled at the group and stomped off. He would skip lunch.

"How was school, Prince Zuko?" His Uncle asked when he stomped into the tea shop.

Zuko scowled at Iroh. "It was fantastic." He said sarcastically.

Iroh smiled. "So glad to hear that. I told you you would like it here." He threw an apron at Zuko's face. "Now help me with these customers."

Although all Zuko wanted to do was sulk in the small room he called a bedroom, he didn't want to disappoint Iroh on the opening day of his tea shop.

He and his Uncle had a method. Iroh made the tea and Zuo served it. As Zuko was serving the loud guards on the left, the door opened and five kids walked in. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and the two others sitting with them at lunch.

They didn't seem to notice him though. But Zuko wouldn't hide because of that small kid. No matter how powerful that small kid may be. But maybe they wouldn't notice him if he carefully crept to the back.

"Zuko?" Apparently they had noticed him. Aang was looking at him oddly. "You work here?"

of course at that moment Iroh had to poke his head out. "Are you Zuko's friends?" He asked as he made his way over.

"No-" Zuko started.

"Well it is a pleasure to meet you all." He said. "You can all call me Iroh." He looked at Zuko who looked overly depressed. "Why don't you introduce me to your nice friends."

Zuko sighed, knowing that it would only make it worse to tell Iroh that they weren't friends. "Aang, Katara, Sokka, and . . ."

"Suki, my girlfriend." Sokka said, putting an arm around the brunette. "And Toph. The blind bandit."

"The what?" Zuko asked.

"Never mind." Sokka said.

"It's great to meet you Iroh." Aang said and he actually looked sincere.

"Well, I'll let the six of you talk." Iroh said and put a hand on Zuko's shoulder before heading back to the kitchen.

"How come your dad's so nice and you're so... Not?" Aang asked.

"He's not my dad!" Zuko nearly yelled, but he didn't want Iroh to hear him. "He's my Uncle."

"I liked him." Katara said. "He was really nice. I don't know how he could be such a kind man and yet you turned out completely the opposite."

"My Uncle's a fool." Zuko said. He repeated what Azula said. "He's a coward."

The five gaped at him. "How could you say that about your own Uncle?" Suki asked.

"My life is none of your business!" Zuko said and stomped back into the kitchen.

Iroh looked back at Zuko as he threw the apron onto the floor. "They seemed like nice people."


End file.
